2026 NFL Prospect: LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier

LSU’s star quarterback Garrett Nussmeier will be one of the most interesting NFL prospects to enter the 2026 NFL draft next year. With NFL bloodlines and a coach’s son, Nussmeier will be ready to impress scouts and coaches during his interviews at the Combine next February. 

But Nussmeier will need to prove that he’s durable during his last year in Death Valley, as he’s a bit undersized for the pro game. Sure, he’s 6′2″ and 200 lbs, which isn’t exactly small, but it is a determining factor in where he is slotting in next Spring’s first round.

The talented redshirt senior flashes shades of another LSU signal caller, Joe Burrow, at times. He has the tools and football IQ to be a quality starter, if not a franchise quarterback at the next level. Last season was a bit of a breakout for Nussmeier as he completely stepped out of the shadow left by Jayden Daniels, throwing for over 4,000 yards and racking up 29 passing touchdowns. He proved to be both accurate and efficient, with a commanding pocket presence that scouts would expect from a future pro player. 

Strengths

Nussmeier has possibly the best throwing mechanics in this class. He’s accurate (nearly a 65% completion rate and 142.5 passer rating in 2024) and throws with power and precision. He can make all the throws, including tight window passes, and other prospects should take notes on his delivery and throwing mechanics. He steps up into the pocket well and feels pressure without making mistakes. To say he has a high football IQ would be an understatement. 

Weaknesses 

With Nussmeier’s resume, there’s little to dislike. Scouts might quibble about him being a bit undersized, bringing into question durability issues at the pro level. Adding some muscle and weight will help. 

Secondly, scouts will want to see Nussmeier throw up close and personal at the NFL Combine. When he is inaccurate, it is primarily on deep balls and completing throws down the sidelines. He can address that during the season by improving these numbers against SEC competition. 

Conclusion

In the age of “overdrafting” quarterbacks, Draft Nation feels that Nussmeier will be a sure first-rounder next April. Other pundits and sites differ, believing he may slip to the second round due to concerns about his size and deep accuracy. Yet Nussmeier brings too much to the table to believe some team won’t give him a chance to be their starter of the future. Quarterback-hungry teams will roll the dice here.

Nussmeier is an impressive pro-ready passer who needs to check some boxes for scouts during his last season at LSU. If and when he does, teams will bite. And in the right offensive scheme, Nussmeier may be the next Jared Goff.